Surgical Needles With Position Retainers

Abstract

A surgical needle for suturing soft tissues of a human or animal body includes a needle body terminating at a needle tip. The needle body includes at least one position retainer to inhibit unintended movement of the surgical needle during use. The position retainer may include a protuberance and/or a recess. The portion of the needle body that includes the position retainer may have a cross-sectional area that is greater or less than a cross-sectional area of one or more adjacent portions of the needle body having no position retainer.

1 . A surgical needle for suturing soft tissues of a body, the surgical needle comprising a needle body terminating at a needle tip, the needle body including at least one position retainer to inhibit unintended movement of the surgical needle during use. 
     
     
         2 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the needle body is tapered along its length. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical needle of  claim 2  wherein the tapered portion of the needle body terminates at the needle tip. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer comprises a protuberance. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the needle body including the at least one position retainer has a cross-sectional area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of an adjacent portion of the needle body having no position retainer. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer comprises a recess. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the needle body including the at least one position retainer has a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of an adjacent portion of the needle body having no position retainer. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer fully extends about the needle body. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer extends only partially about the needle body. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer lacks any sharp cutting edge. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the needle body includes a plurality of position retainers including said at least one position retainer to inhibit unintended movement of the surgical needle during use. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one position retainer has a symmetrical cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical needle of  claim 1  wherein the needle body and the at least one position retainer are monolithic. 
     
     
         14 . A method of coupling a position retainer to a surgical needle, the surgical needle including a needle body terminating at a needle tip, the position retainer defining an opening therethrough, the method comprising inserting the needle tip through the opening and moving the position retainer to a desired location on the needle body to inhibit unintended movement of the surgical needle during use. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising using the surgical needle with position retainer in a surgical procedure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising inserting the needle tip through the opening of one or more additional position retainers.